Top pick: #3 (JOSHIE HIT A HOMER) (10-1) - Price play showed some early speed last out and finished evenly to check in sixth of 10, beaten 5-lengths. Lightly-raced and improving, she still has room for upside. O'Neill home bred has a shot at long odds.
2nd pick: #8 (Ace Deuce) (4-1) - Speedy gelding has finished second in two straight, one each on turf and dirt. He just failed to hold on here at this level and distance Jan. 17. A career best, it was his first ever on the grass. Obvious contender.
3rd pick: #9 (McHeat) (5-2) - Home bred rallied to finish fourth in his grass and two-turn debut Feb. 13. Nice effort and he was bet down to 5-2 favoritism that afternoon. Must be left in the mix.
4th pick: #6 (Royalist) (8-1) - Debuting gelding has a solid local work tab on view. It's not easy to win going two-turns when running first out, but this field is not a strong one for the condition.
5th pick: #5 (Upbeat Tempo) (12-1) - Colt raced evenly here when making his grass debut Feb. 13. Decent effort and his connections give him a rider upgrade to Mario Gutierrez.